OXIDATION OF METHIONINE BY SINGLET OXYGEN Essay - 1

OXIDATION OF METHIONINE BY SINGLET OXYGEN - Essay Example Transition metal complexes as photosensitizers 16 Semiconductors 17 Immobilized photosensitizers 17 Methionine oxidation 18 Determination of singlet oxygen 21 Aims 24 Materials and methods 25 General Information 25 Oxygen measurements 25 Singlet oxygen consumption at different methionine concentrations 26 Singlet oxygen consumption induced by laser. 27 Results and discussion 27 Conclusions 47 References: 49 Abstract The methionine oxidation reaction using singlet oxygen was studied. Initially this report is focused on presenting the overview of works associated with the topic. Singlet oxygen is described along with the ways it is formed. It was highlighted that singlet oxygen was a more powerful oxidant then triplet oxygen and the types of oxidation pathways are described. The practical aspect of this research is focused on using a photosensitizer, Rose Bengal, to generate singlet oxygen. This is the reason for giving a short overview of photosensitizers is given making focus on the behaviour of Rose Bengal and compounds similar to it in structure. Methionine oxidation mechanism is also described as well as function of oxygen electrode. In order to research the topic of methionine oxidation by singlet oxygen two experiments were carried out. In the first experiment a series of methionine solutions with different concentrations were prepared. In each case Rose Bengal was added as a photosensitizer. As it was established, the rate of oxygen consumption depends on methionine concentration in the solution being the highest at the lowest concentration of methionine. The process was followed by Michaelis-Menten kinetics therefore the corresponding equations were used to construct Lineweaver-Burke plot and determine the maximum rate of the oxidation reaction as well as the line slope. The second experiment utilised a more vigorous approach. A laser pulse was employed to produce singlet oxygen molecules in the dye containing methionine solution. And by employing various concentrations of methionine and Rose Bengal as photosensitizer construct oxygen consumption plots along with determination of variation of centre-of mass d istance and potential energy of the reacting molecules. Methionine oxidation was also described using SPARTAN calculations and the reaction mechanism was presented. This report is initially focused on describing the key literature associated with oxidation of methionine by singlet oxygen, highlighting relevant for the project issues and arguments, then moving on to presenting the research that has been done so far, making accent on the methods used and results achieved, before finally identifying the existing gaps in the study and setting up a plan for future work. Introduction Oxygen was discovered by Joseph Priestley in 1775 (Priestley, 1775). Later, Avagadro described the diatomic nature of oxygen, and the paramagnetic properties of this diatomic gas were studied by Faraday in 1811. Differences between oxygen and other gases such as helium or nitrogen were also investigated (Parkes, 1967). Later in 1928, using molecular orbital theory, it was established that oxygen is paramagnet ic due to the presence of the parallel spins of two electrons occupying the outer shell. This form with uncoupled electron pair was named triplet oxygen. Spectroscopy was used to prove the existence of higher energy state, which later was called singlet oxygen (Herzberg, 1934). In the singlet form of this molecule outer-shell electrons are paired in antiparallel spins. Initially, the importance of singlet oxygen was not recognised. It was rediscovered in 1964 in photooxidation experiments and since then became intensively studied. Over the past twenty five years significant increase in data regarding singlet oxygen has led to the

English midterm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

English midterm - Essay Example Greed triggered the people to find their own American dream riches (Hill 2). The Miller novel and movie story emphasizes certain factors affect the successful reaching the hard to pin down American dream. Mr. A. Miller’s novel and movie story correctly pertains to the average person’s elusive attainment of the coveted American dream during the 1940s (Benedek 1951). The novel shows Willy Loman’s difficulties affirm the American Dream is very wrong elusive (Miller 103). The novel shows Willy Loman failed in his wrong American dream to be one of the top sales persons in Brooklyn, New York City. Similarly, Willy failed in his dream to become one of the most sought after and well liked American environment sales persons. Further, the Miller story critically rightfully espouses Charles Darwin’s survival of the fittest animal kingdom concept influences the attainment of the American dream (Nelson 90). The concept states that there are many competitors for the scarce good and customers. Consequently only those who offer the best services and products to the target customers will survive. Those who fail to deliver quality goods and services will drive away current and future customers. This is the essence of the Willy Loman story. Furthermore, the Miller story correctly scrutinizes Mr. Willy Loman’s discussing having to survive in the saturated highly urbanized New York City community. Mr. Loman’s small and impoverished New York is dwarfed by the many bigger modern apartment buildings. The buildings crowd out the sunshine and fresh air from reaching the diminutive Loman home (Miller 8). Willy blames the maddening competition and the overcrowded New York City landscape for his failure to achieve his American dream, being one of North America’s top selling salespersons (Miller 9). Consequently, only the fittest American residents will survive the American’s economic rat race environment. The current and future customers will prefer